If there is anyone who knows how to craft the perfect brunch, it’s beloved restaurateur and trendy Las Vegas socialite Elizabeth Blau, who knows exactly what we want in a mid-morning meal.
According to Elizabeth, “Brunch is by far my favorite meal! It is also an easy and fun time to entertain. Many items can be prepped the night before, so it is easier than a dinner party to relax and entertain your guests!”
From nostalgic dishes like Cracker Jack Pancakes, to creative twists on Bagel and Lox, guests are in for a treat when they spend a lovely morning with Elizabeth Blau at one of her beloved restaurants. Are you hosting a brunch? Get some inspiration from Elizabeth’s restaurants for your own shindig.
Don’t Forget the Drinks
So often, we stick to simple orange juice and coffee when we are hosting brunch. Switch up the juice options and have a Bloody Mary bar to make your brunch feel extra special.
“Have fun with your drinks. It makes it colorful and entertaining when guests arrive. An assortment of fresh juices are great for the kids. Have a few bottles of bubbles chilled down to make into mimosas for the adults! If you love Bloody Mary’s, a Bloody Mary bar always impresses. My husband, Kim, is Canadian, so we use spicy tomato and spicy Clamato if our friends want to try a Bloody Caesar! Create a mini buffet with bacon, beef jerky, olives, carrots, celery sticks and hot sauces. Get creative and add anything else you like!”
Prep Ahead
The thought of a crowd of hungry brunch-ers coming over can be daunting. Set yourself up for success and prep as much as you can the night before. Better yet, choose recipes that can simply thrown in the oven before serving, like a frittata. Here are some of Elizabeth’s favorites:
“French Toast and Corned Beef Hash are great examples of dishes that can be prepped the night before, and we have amazing recipes in our Honey Salt Cookbook. For both recipes, almost everything can be prepared up to a day in advance. A fresh fruit platter is great as well!”
But Don’t Make Your Scrambled Eggs Ahead
Nothing makes us feel like we are eating at a mediocre hotel breakfast buffet more than cold, stiff scrambled eggs.
“Kim taught me the secret to making scrambled eggs is to make sure they are the perfect amount of ‘fluffy’ and ‘moist.’ The tip is ‘patience,’ cooking them low and slow stirring often. You want to serve them right away, so as long as your guests have a mimosa or bloody mary (see tip #1), this a great thing to do while visiting in the kitchen just before brunch is served.”
Serve Something Sweet and Savory
Some people prefer a sugar rush in the morning, others a more savory approach. Be sure you have both a sweet and savory option. At her restaurant, Elizabeth brings wonder and delight to guests of all ages with Cracker Jack Pancakes at Andiron Steak and Sea. They’re served with vanilla custard, caramel popcorn and toasted peanuts.
And for the savory route, what’s better than a bagel with lox? Elizabeth’s Everything but the Bagel Pizza—a delicious mash-up of two brunch favorites featuring smoked salmon, cream cheese, fried capers, pickled onions and dill. This one is served at Honey Salt in Vegas.
